We have taken the opportunity with our 2021 editions of the OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR – FRANCE AND BELGIUM series to redesign the covers and print on 140g silk paper. This official history was the grandest ever produced in Britain, and its purpose was to provide “within reasonable compass an authoritative account, suitable for general readers and for students at military schools”. Due to the number of full-colour maps bound in each volume, previous attempts to reprint this valuable reference either floundered, or were produced with the maps in monochrome. At last, the acclaimed work of the official cartographers who had 90,000 maps at their command can be examined as they intended – in full colour.
France and Belgium 1917.Vol III. The Battle of Cambrai. OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR.
One of the best of the Official History volumes. Cambrai, where tanks were first used en masse, was initially a great victory; the church bells rang out in celebration. Within a few days the Germans had struck back and victory turned to ashes and Douglas Haig ordered an enquiry into the disaster. A very readable account of a most important battle.